Cars 1951-1953
1951 A Barchetta at Le Mans
2016 SOLD for € 7.3M including premium
The 24 hours of Le Mans is a sporting event and a showroom of the automobile. In 1951 the spectators admire the barchetta bodywork. Only one Ferrari barchetta had been inscribed in the previous year, a 195S driven by Luigi Chinetti and Pierre Louis-Dreyfus.
The other excitement of 1951 is the Ferrari 340 Americaequipped with a V-12 engine that carries the expectations of the brand. It is the first ever Ferrari model to use the qualifier of America showing the brand's ambitions on the other side of the Atlantic.
No less than four Ferrari 340 America Barchetta are at the start of the race, including a car coachworked by Touring delivered a few days earlier to Louis-Dreyfus and co-piloted by Louis Chiron. Caught by the passion of the event, the Vieux Renard of the pre-war competitions misses a refueling pit and runs dry.
In 1952 this car was entered again with the same number #16 and retired after five hours for an issue with the clutch.
Carefully restored to its 1951 Le Mans configuration, this authentic survivor of postwar endurance competitions has retained its matching number equipment. It is estimated € 7.5M for sale by RM Sotheby's in Monaco on May 14, lot 232.
The other excitement of 1951 is the Ferrari 340 Americaequipped with a V-12 engine that carries the expectations of the brand. It is the first ever Ferrari model to use the qualifier of America showing the brand's ambitions on the other side of the Atlantic.
No less than four Ferrari 340 America Barchetta are at the start of the race, including a car coachworked by Touring delivered a few days earlier to Louis-Dreyfus and co-piloted by Louis Chiron. Caught by the passion of the event, the Vieux Renard of the pre-war competitions misses a refueling pit and runs dry.
In 1952 this car was entered again with the same number #16 and retired after five hours for an issue with the clutch.
Carefully restored to its 1951 Le Mans configuration, this authentic survivor of postwar endurance competitions has retained its matching number equipment. It is estimated € 7.5M for sale by RM Sotheby's in Monaco on May 14, lot 232.
1951 A Clothier on the Hill
2014 SOLD 3.2 M$ including premium
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Everything starts well for Ferrari. Since the creation of the brand in 1947, three ranges of cars are developed in parallel : road sports, competition and the new Formula 1 whose first regulations have been defined in 1946.
In 1951, the new chassis 212 is ambitious. It includes the Inter variant previously used for the already prestigious model 166, and a new Export variant, a wording that prefigures the universal aims of the brand in the following years with the famous America, Mondial, Europa and later Superamerica and California.
As the prewar brands had done, the Ferrari cars are equipped with various bodies made by the best workshops.Considering altogether chassis and coachwork, each model is built in very small quantities and some cars are even unique. Carrozzeria Touring specializing in super-light (superleggera) construction is one of the leading bodybuilders for Ferrari cars at that time.
Thus, four Ferrari 212 Export were equipped by Touring as Berlinettas, the closed body for road competition. One of them was sold to the tailor of the personalities, Caraceni, who used it immediately in the Stella Alpina hillclimb racing where it obtained a good result.
On the following year, targeting the Mille Miglia, Caraceni chooses a 212/225 Export bodied by Vignale and sells his Touring to an aristocrat who prefers in his turn a 340 America in 1954. These movements are indicative of the high efficiency of the development of new models by Ferrari at that time.
The Ferrari Touring ex Caraceni had been somewhat forgotten, being cared since 1969 by only one owner who rarely used it. It has undergone a detailed and costly cleaning which left it in its original configuration and makes it now one of the most authentic early Ferrari cars.
It is estimated $ 3M, for sale by Bonhams in Scottsdale on January 16. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
This early Ferrari still in its original configuration was sold for $ 3.2M including premium.
Everything starts well for Ferrari. Since the creation of the brand in 1947, three ranges of cars are developed in parallel : road sports, competition and the new Formula 1 whose first regulations have been defined in 1946.
In 1951, the new chassis 212 is ambitious. It includes the Inter variant previously used for the already prestigious model 166, and a new Export variant, a wording that prefigures the universal aims of the brand in the following years with the famous America, Mondial, Europa and later Superamerica and California.
As the prewar brands had done, the Ferrari cars are equipped with various bodies made by the best workshops.Considering altogether chassis and coachwork, each model is built in very small quantities and some cars are even unique. Carrozzeria Touring specializing in super-light (superleggera) construction is one of the leading bodybuilders for Ferrari cars at that time.
Thus, four Ferrari 212 Export were equipped by Touring as Berlinettas, the closed body for road competition. One of them was sold to the tailor of the personalities, Caraceni, who used it immediately in the Stella Alpina hillclimb racing where it obtained a good result.
On the following year, targeting the Mille Miglia, Caraceni chooses a 212/225 Export bodied by Vignale and sells his Touring to an aristocrat who prefers in his turn a 340 America in 1954. These movements are indicative of the high efficiency of the development of new models by Ferrari at that time.
The Ferrari Touring ex Caraceni had been somewhat forgotten, being cared since 1969 by only one owner who rarely used it. It has undergone a detailed and costly cleaning which left it in its original configuration and makes it now one of the most authentic early Ferrari cars.
It is estimated $ 3M, for sale by Bonhams in Scottsdale on January 16. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
This early Ferrari still in its original configuration was sold for $ 3.2M including premium.
1952 A Barchetta by Touring
2015 SOLD for € 6.7M including premium
The model 212 is a key step in the early development of Ferrari. In 1951, the Italian brand is already mastering the influence of the wheel base on stability and performance. Two variants are available. The 212 Inter is for grand tourism. The 212 Export with its reduced wheelbase is for competition.
The body also plays a role. The barchetta proposed for the 212 Export prefigures the fabulous spyders for track racing that will make Ferrari's greatest glory from the 250 TR "Testarossa" in 1957.
On May 23 at Villa Erba on the shores of Lake Como, RM Sotheby's sells a 212 Export from 1952 bodied by Touring in barchetta, lot 110 estimated € 5.5M. This car had a good history in competition until 1956, representing a long racing time span in a period when the technological development was continuous.
The Ferrari 212 Export was built in 28 units in 1951 and 1952, but only 4 were coachworked in berlinetta by Touring for road racing. One of them was sold for $ 3.2 million including premium by Bonhams on 16 January 2014.
The body also plays a role. The barchetta proposed for the 212 Export prefigures the fabulous spyders for track racing that will make Ferrari's greatest glory from the 250 TR "Testarossa" in 1957.
On May 23 at Villa Erba on the shores of Lake Como, RM Sotheby's sells a 212 Export from 1952 bodied by Touring in barchetta, lot 110 estimated € 5.5M. This car had a good history in competition until 1956, representing a long racing time span in a period when the technological development was continuous.
The Ferrari 212 Export was built in 28 units in 1951 and 1952, but only 4 were coachworked in berlinetta by Touring for road racing. One of them was sold for $ 3.2 million including premium by Bonhams on 16 January 2014.
1952 Ferrari with Lampredi and Vignale
2017 SOLD for $ 6.4M including premium
Enzo Ferrari was extremely demanding but his very good selection of collaborators and subcontractors ensured his success in the early 1950s.
Aurelio Lampredi develops the Ferrari V12 engine by increasing the displacement and power. The brand can now pursuit a legitimate ambition in Formula 1 and endurance racing while appealing the private customers of sports cars.
In 1950 the Ferrari 340 equipped with a Lampredi 4.1 liters engine is the first model offering an America version. By economy of money for that very recent brand, some earlier cars are converted in 340 America. The culmination of this product line is the 410 Superamerica with a Lampredi of 5 liters, released in 1955.
Ferrari uses a network of subcontractors for the bodywork : Vignale, Touring, Ghia. The elite cars in this range are equipped in barchetta or spider with a minimalist design targetting the effectiveness. Out of a total of twenty-two 340 America, three units receive an exclusively Competizione configuration.
A 340 America was sold for € 7,3M including premium by RM Sotheby's on May 14, 2016. It had retained its original engine and its body had been recently restored in its 1951 Le Mans configuration as a Touring barchetta.
On January 19 in Scottsdale, Bonhams sells a 340 America from 1952 equipped with its original engine and re-established in 2000 in its 1952 Mille Miglia configuration as a Vignale spider competizione. It is estimated $ 7.5M, lot 44.
Please watch the video shared by Petrolicious and Bonhams.
The image of this car in its current body is shared on Wikimedia.
Attribution:
By paPisc from Bologna (178 293XUCUploaded by High Contrast) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Aurelio Lampredi develops the Ferrari V12 engine by increasing the displacement and power. The brand can now pursuit a legitimate ambition in Formula 1 and endurance racing while appealing the private customers of sports cars.
In 1950 the Ferrari 340 equipped with a Lampredi 4.1 liters engine is the first model offering an America version. By economy of money for that very recent brand, some earlier cars are converted in 340 America. The culmination of this product line is the 410 Superamerica with a Lampredi of 5 liters, released in 1955.
Ferrari uses a network of subcontractors for the bodywork : Vignale, Touring, Ghia. The elite cars in this range are equipped in barchetta or spider with a minimalist design targetting the effectiveness. Out of a total of twenty-two 340 America, three units receive an exclusively Competizione configuration.
A 340 America was sold for € 7,3M including premium by RM Sotheby's on May 14, 2016. It had retained its original engine and its body had been recently restored in its 1951 Le Mans configuration as a Touring barchetta.
On January 19 in Scottsdale, Bonhams sells a 340 America from 1952 equipped with its original engine and re-established in 2000 in its 1952 Mille Miglia configuration as a Vignale spider competizione. It is estimated $ 7.5M, lot 44.
Please watch the video shared by Petrolicious and Bonhams.
The image of this car in its current body is shared on Wikimedia.
Attribution:
By paPisc from Bologna (178 293XUCUploaded by High Contrast) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
1952 Jaguar Cars for the Ecurie Ecosse
2013 SOLD 2.9 M£ including premium
Ecurie Ecosse is a private team established in 1952 that achieved considerable success in competition, especially with the Stewart brothers. On December 1 in London, Bonhams will disperse a collection of eight vehicles that had belonged to this group.
This collection includes two important Jaguar cars. One is a C-Type made in 1952 and the other a D-Type made in 1956. They are visually very similar, in two-seater configuration with this metallic dark blue paint that was the color of the team.
They have a similar shape. Note that the D-Type is an evolution of of the C-Type with improved aerodynamics and the introduction of the stabilizer on the back cover behind the headrests. This likeness is reinforced by the fact that this D-Type car is in the shortnose variant, shorter but rarer than the longnose.
These cars are estimated £ 2 million for the C-Type and £ 2.5 million for the D-Type.
Seven of these vehicles are racing cars. The eighth also deserves attention. This is a transporter truck made in 1960 by Commer to carry together three cars of the Ecurie Ecosse. This custom design has been popularized by a Corgi toy.
I invite you to play the video shared by Bonhams on YouTube, in which the collector discusses the eight vehicles of this sale.
POST SALE COMMENT
Success for the lots that had belonged to the Ecurie Ecosse, with an extraordinary result at £ 1.8 million for the Commer transporter.
The Jaguar cars discussed above were sold at £ 2.9 million for the C-Type and £ 2.6 million for the D-Type. Note also an interesting XK120 roadster made in 1951 that sold for £ 700K.
These prices include the premium.
This collection includes two important Jaguar cars. One is a C-Type made in 1952 and the other a D-Type made in 1956. They are visually very similar, in two-seater configuration with this metallic dark blue paint that was the color of the team.
They have a similar shape. Note that the D-Type is an evolution of of the C-Type with improved aerodynamics and the introduction of the stabilizer on the back cover behind the headrests. This likeness is reinforced by the fact that this D-Type car is in the shortnose variant, shorter but rarer than the longnose.
These cars are estimated £ 2 million for the C-Type and £ 2.5 million for the D-Type.
Seven of these vehicles are racing cars. The eighth also deserves attention. This is a transporter truck made in 1960 by Commer to carry together three cars of the Ecurie Ecosse. This custom design has been popularized by a Corgi toy.
I invite you to play the video shared by Bonhams on YouTube, in which the collector discusses the eight vehicles of this sale.
POST SALE COMMENT
Success for the lots that had belonged to the Ecurie Ecosse, with an extraordinary result at £ 1.8 million for the Commer transporter.
The Jaguar cars discussed above were sold at £ 2.9 million for the C-Type and £ 2.6 million for the D-Type. Note also an interesting XK120 roadster made in 1951 that sold for £ 700K.
These prices include the premium.
1953 C-Type Jaguars for Le Mans
2015 SOLD for $ 13.2M including premium
In June 1950 in Le Mans, Jaguar executives are delighted. They had allocated some cars to private pilots and one of them showed a good behavior of his XK120 before dropping at the 21th hour for a braking issue. Jaguar is then resolutely committed to the technological challenge of competition and launches the study of the XK120C soon known as the C-Type.
In 1951, success is achieved for the first official attempt by Jaguar at Le Mans : a C-Type wins the race. In the following year, the failure is scathing. To counter Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar had modified the aerodynamics without appreciating that it would cause an excessive overheating.
The option taken for 1953 is innovative, with a lightweight body made of aluminum and some equipment improvements. The unique target of the brand is Le Mans, and only three cars are assembled. They will be the last three in the C-Type. Success returns : the new Jaguars brilliantly occupy the first, second and fourth final positions.
This variant of transition is the rarest Jaguar, made obsolete by the development of the D-Type.
Jaguar is not totally uninterested in the fate of its C-Type Works Lightweight since they managed to sell all the three cars to the Ecurie Ecosse after the 1953 season. The three cars are getting high successes throughout 1954 before being sold again.
The best overall record of these Lightweight comes to the car that had been fourth at Le Mans in 1953. It then will undergo major transformations including changing its coachwork. Its current owner has fitted a new body that scrupulously meets the 1953 configuration, excepted that it is metallic blue painted in the colors of Ecurie Ecosse.
The C-Type Lightweight is the rarest Jaguar. This newly restored unit is estimated $ 9M for sale by RM Sotheby's in Monterey on August 14, lot 235. I invite you to watch the video shared by Petrolicious.
In 1951, success is achieved for the first official attempt by Jaguar at Le Mans : a C-Type wins the race. In the following year, the failure is scathing. To counter Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar had modified the aerodynamics without appreciating that it would cause an excessive overheating.
The option taken for 1953 is innovative, with a lightweight body made of aluminum and some equipment improvements. The unique target of the brand is Le Mans, and only three cars are assembled. They will be the last three in the C-Type. Success returns : the new Jaguars brilliantly occupy the first, second and fourth final positions.
This variant of transition is the rarest Jaguar, made obsolete by the development of the D-Type.
Jaguar is not totally uninterested in the fate of its C-Type Works Lightweight since they managed to sell all the three cars to the Ecurie Ecosse after the 1953 season. The three cars are getting high successes throughout 1954 before being sold again.
The best overall record of these Lightweight comes to the car that had been fourth at Le Mans in 1953. It then will undergo major transformations including changing its coachwork. Its current owner has fitted a new body that scrupulously meets the 1953 configuration, excepted that it is metallic blue painted in the colors of Ecurie Ecosse.
The C-Type Lightweight is the rarest Jaguar. This newly restored unit is estimated $ 9M for sale by RM Sotheby's in Monterey on August 14, lot 235. I invite you to watch the video shared by Petrolicious.
1953 A Ferrari for Four Champions
2013 SOLD 9.9 M€ including premium
In 1953, Ferrari was already established as a formidable competitor to Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Maserati and Lancia.
La Scuderia entered three cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of them was assigned to Nino Farina, world champion in 1950, and to Mike Hawthorn who will have the same glory in 1958. Technically, this car is a 340MM changed with some characteristics of the 375MM.
This Ferrari is one of the best cars of that year. It was also driven by the 1953 world champion, Alberto Ascari. However, it was left to a very young driver named Umberto Maglioli to demonstrate its outstanding on-road behaviour by a legendary performance in the Carrera Panamericana.
Bodied by Pinin Farina, this elegant berlinetta has everything to seduce the most demanding collectors. It is for sale on May 25 by RM Auctions in Villa Erba in the auction organized at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.
I invite you to watch the video shared by RM on YouTube, including images of both 1953 and 2013.
POST SALE COMMENT
This Ferrari is exceptional. The result, € 8.8 million before fees, is confirmed on the Facebook page of the auction house.
La Scuderia entered three cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of them was assigned to Nino Farina, world champion in 1950, and to Mike Hawthorn who will have the same glory in 1958. Technically, this car is a 340MM changed with some characteristics of the 375MM.
This Ferrari is one of the best cars of that year. It was also driven by the 1953 world champion, Alberto Ascari. However, it was left to a very young driver named Umberto Maglioli to demonstrate its outstanding on-road behaviour by a legendary performance in the Carrera Panamericana.
Bodied by Pinin Farina, this elegant berlinetta has everything to seduce the most demanding collectors. It is for sale on May 25 by RM Auctions in Villa Erba in the auction organized at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.
I invite you to watch the video shared by RM on YouTube, including images of both 1953 and 2013.
POST SALE COMMENT
This Ferrari is exceptional. The result, € 8.8 million before fees, is confirmed on the Facebook page of the auction house.
1953 The Braking of Jim Kimberly
2013 SOLD 9.1 M$ including premium
Jim Kimberly was not happy with his Ferrari 340 America, a spider coachworked by Vignale whose effectiveness in competition was highly compromised by the heating of the brakes.
The gentleman-driver, who was also a wealthy American industrialist, now wanted a body that meets his own specifications. No problem, Ferrari will make that for him. Same as for watches at the time of Packard and Graves, listening to an important customer is boosting the progress.
The eighth 375 MM chassis was the third in the series to be built in spider by Pinin Farina, but it will be the only one to incorporate the requirements of Kimberly. It will also be the only one painted in Kimberly red, a spectacular deviation from the Ferrari red.
Kimberly was right. Delivered in 1953, his Ferrari won sixteen of the twenty races in which he engaged it in the following year. Better : the innovation of opening the body behind the wheels was incorporated in 1957 as the 'pontoon fender' in the legendary Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa.
The thermal and aerodynamic balance at the level of the wheels was indeed the ultimate factor for the success of a racing car in 1954. Fangio also won by refusing to enclose the wheels in the body of his Mercedes-Benz W196.
Jim Kimberly's 375 MM equipped with its original spare engine will be sold on August 16 inMonterey by RM Auctions. I invite you to play the video shared by the auction house.
POST SALE COMMENT
This car is a significant milestone in the history of Ferrari. It was sold for $ 8.25 million before fees.
The gentleman-driver, who was also a wealthy American industrialist, now wanted a body that meets his own specifications. No problem, Ferrari will make that for him. Same as for watches at the time of Packard and Graves, listening to an important customer is boosting the progress.
The eighth 375 MM chassis was the third in the series to be built in spider by Pinin Farina, but it will be the only one to incorporate the requirements of Kimberly. It will also be the only one painted in Kimberly red, a spectacular deviation from the Ferrari red.
Kimberly was right. Delivered in 1953, his Ferrari won sixteen of the twenty races in which he engaged it in the following year. Better : the innovation of opening the body behind the wheels was incorporated in 1957 as the 'pontoon fender' in the legendary Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa.
The thermal and aerodynamic balance at the level of the wheels was indeed the ultimate factor for the success of a racing car in 1954. Fangio also won by refusing to enclose the wheels in the body of his Mercedes-Benz W196.
Jim Kimberly's 375 MM equipped with its original spare engine will be sold on August 16 inMonterey by RM Auctions. I invite you to play the video shared by the auction house.
POST SALE COMMENT
This car is a significant milestone in the history of Ferrari. It was sold for $ 8.25 million before fees.
1953 The Traceability of a Jaguar C-Type
2016 SOLD for € 7.2M including premium
Traceability is a headache for collectors of racing cars made before the mid-1950s. The transparency of information from Ferrari offers a substantial advantage to that brand.
The Jaguar C-Type introduced in 1951 on the XK120 chassis displays an aerodynamic elegance well ahead of its time. One of them won the 24 hours of Le Mans in the very first year. It was one of the favorite models of Stirling Moss.
On November 18, 2015, a press release by Bonhams announced that a 1952 C-Type with XKC-011 chassis number, driven by Stirling Moss among others for the works team of the brand, will be one of the stars of their sale on May 13, 2016 in Monaco. The release also announced that the car had been lent in 1954 by Jaguar to the Belgian private team Ecurie Francorchamps.
Everything is great excepted that a previous owner had observed in 1963 that its bodywork was tagged with the number K1047 associated in principle with the XKC-047 chassis released from factory in 1953. The assumption of a swap of the bodies could explain this oddity. It comes to the credit of Bonhams to have pushed further the investigation.
The XKC-011 carving on the chassis is authentic and without falsification. This car is in an original condition close to perfect. The known history of the two frames shows that the gearbox fitted to the car for sale is not compatible with the XKC-011 driven by Moss.
In 1954, for rewarding the good results of the Belgian team, Jaguar had agreed to transfer to them the ownership of the XKC-011 which previously had only been loaned, for the purpose of a sale to be realized immediately. The Ecurie Francorchamps restitutes to Jaguar their XKC-047 which is now prepared to be sold on the following year to Dunlop for tyre testing. Jaguar probably observed at that time that the chassis was not serialized. They mark the XKC-047 with the XKC-011 number whose history in competition was slightly more prestigious.
The C-Type offered for sale was never driven by Moss but it remains one of the most authentic examples of this remarkable model. Only some minor changes have been made over time to maintain its road certification. This stunning car is reasonably estimated at € 4M, lot 114.
The Jaguar C-Type introduced in 1951 on the XK120 chassis displays an aerodynamic elegance well ahead of its time. One of them won the 24 hours of Le Mans in the very first year. It was one of the favorite models of Stirling Moss.
On November 18, 2015, a press release by Bonhams announced that a 1952 C-Type with XKC-011 chassis number, driven by Stirling Moss among others for the works team of the brand, will be one of the stars of their sale on May 13, 2016 in Monaco. The release also announced that the car had been lent in 1954 by Jaguar to the Belgian private team Ecurie Francorchamps.
Everything is great excepted that a previous owner had observed in 1963 that its bodywork was tagged with the number K1047 associated in principle with the XKC-047 chassis released from factory in 1953. The assumption of a swap of the bodies could explain this oddity. It comes to the credit of Bonhams to have pushed further the investigation.
The XKC-011 carving on the chassis is authentic and without falsification. This car is in an original condition close to perfect. The known history of the two frames shows that the gearbox fitted to the car for sale is not compatible with the XKC-011 driven by Moss.
In 1954, for rewarding the good results of the Belgian team, Jaguar had agreed to transfer to them the ownership of the XKC-011 which previously had only been loaned, for the purpose of a sale to be realized immediately. The Ecurie Francorchamps restitutes to Jaguar their XKC-047 which is now prepared to be sold on the following year to Dunlop for tyre testing. Jaguar probably observed at that time that the chassis was not serialized. They mark the XKC-047 with the XKC-011 number whose history in competition was slightly more prestigious.
The C-Type offered for sale was never driven by Moss but it remains one of the most authentic examples of this remarkable model. Only some minor changes have been made over time to maintain its road certification. This stunning car is reasonably estimated at € 4M, lot 114.
1953 Ferrari in the Mille Miglia
2014 SOLD 7.3 M$ including premium
Two new models confront in the 1952 Mille Miglia. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is the fastest but the race is won by the prototype of the Ferrari 250 S coachworked in berlinetta by Vignale. The exceptional driving stability of the Ferrari had compensated such a disability.
The history of motorsport enables to observe a process of continuous improvement, especially at that time. Ferrari develops an evolution of the 250 for the 1953 Mille Miglia: the 250 MM. This race will be won, however, by a more powerful Ferrari, a 340 MM coachworked in spider by Vignale.
Behind the scenes, another event took place in 1951 in a "neutral ground" halfway between Milan and Turin: the successful negotiation between Ferrari and Pinin Farina. Until then, according to the pre-war practice, Ferrari had no assigned bodybuilder. Its cars were processed by Zagato, Touring, Ghia and Vignale, among others. The co-operation with Scaglietti is slightly later.
On August 14 at Quail Lodge, Bonhams sells a 250 MM berlinetta made in 1953. This superb early example of a co-operation between Ferrari and Pinin Farina already displays the elegance of shape that will make the charm of the future grand touring 250, until the GTO through TdF and GT.
Offered without reserve, like the 250 GTO from the same collection, the Ferrari 250 MM is estimated $ 9M, lot 6.
POST SALE COMMENT
This interesting Ferrari berlinetta of the early 1950s did not reach its lower estimate. It was sold for $ 7.3 million including premium.
The history of motorsport enables to observe a process of continuous improvement, especially at that time. Ferrari develops an evolution of the 250 for the 1953 Mille Miglia: the 250 MM. This race will be won, however, by a more powerful Ferrari, a 340 MM coachworked in spider by Vignale.
Behind the scenes, another event took place in 1951 in a "neutral ground" halfway between Milan and Turin: the successful negotiation between Ferrari and Pinin Farina. Until then, according to the pre-war practice, Ferrari had no assigned bodybuilder. Its cars were processed by Zagato, Touring, Ghia and Vignale, among others. The co-operation with Scaglietti is slightly later.
On August 14 at Quail Lodge, Bonhams sells a 250 MM berlinetta made in 1953. This superb early example of a co-operation between Ferrari and Pinin Farina already displays the elegance of shape that will make the charm of the future grand touring 250, until the GTO through TdF and GT.
Offered without reserve, like the 250 GTO from the same collection, the Ferrari 250 MM is estimated $ 9M, lot 6.
POST SALE COMMENT
This interesting Ferrari berlinetta of the early 1950s did not reach its lower estimate. It was sold for $ 7.3 million including premium.
